Philosophy

Our Story

Our Story

YEAH! BURGER creates “Food You Can LoveSM” - food without harmful chemicals and heavy processing, food from farmers we know, and food that respects the environment and the humane treatment of animals. It's the same type of food that inspired our founder, Erik Maier, to start YEAH! BURGER.

The name “YEAH! BURGER” is meant to convey a restaurant diners can be excited about because of its sustainable values and practices. While the name came quickly from a frequently used saying between friends, the idea for the company did not come to Erik overnight. Rather, it's a concept that was generated thanks to many years of personal experiences.

The genesis for YEAH! BURGER’s “Keep It Real” philosophy can mostly be attributed to Erik’s childhood in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Thanks to his parents, he developed an appreciation for fresh, locally-grown food at an early age through his family’s organic garden and weekly visits to “Root’s”, a nearby farmers market founded in 1925.

As an adult, Erik was troubled by the lack of wholesome food he encountered during his travels as an accountant. He was later encouraged by the sustainable food movements taking hold in New York and California where he worked as an entrepreneur and music executive. Inspired, he couldn’t help but think there needed to be more healthful food options for the majority of the country.

After the much-hyped entertainment start-up he was working at collapsed during the Great Recession, Erik decided it was time to create a company that truly made a difference in people’s lives. The decision was an easy one – change fast food for the better!

To improve the game, Erik knew that he'd have to do more than just serve food that was better for his customers; he'd have to serve food that was better for the environment, for the farmers and for the animals they raise.

And so here we are today. We hope the world is just a little better with us around and that you’ll join us in helping to KEEP FOOD REAL!